After these words had been heard by Pao-yue， he gazed vacantly for some time， feeling the while very unhappy； but raising himself impetuously： "Well！" he exclaimed， "if you don't notice me， all right， I too will go to sleep，" and as he spoke he got up， and， descending from the couch， he betook himself to his own bed and went to sleep. Hsi Jen noticing that he had not budged for ever so long， and that he faintly snored， presumed that he must have fallen fast asleep， so she speedily rose to her feet， and， taking a wrapper， came over and covered him. But a sound of "hu" reached her ear， as Pao-yue promptly threw it off and once again closed his eyes and feigned sleep. Hsi Jen distinctly grasped his idea and， forthwith nodding her head， she smiled coldly. "You really needn't lose your temper！ but from this time forth， I'll become mute， and not say one word to you； and what if I do？"

Pao-yue could not restrain himself from rising. "What have I been up to again，" he asked， "that you're once more at me with your advice？ As far as your advice goes， it's all well and good； but just now without one word of counsel， you paid no heed to me when I came in， but， flying into a huff， you went to sleep. Nor could I make out what it was all about， and now here you are again maintaining that I'm angry. But when did I hear you， pray， give me a word of advice of any kind？"

"Doesn't your mind yet see for itself？" Hsi Jen replied； "and do you still expect me to tell you？"

While they were disputing， dowager lady Chia sent a servant to call him to his repast， and he thereupon crossed over to the front； but after he had hurriedly swallowed a few bowls of rice， he returned to his own apartment， where he discovered Hsi Jen reclining on the outer stove-couch， while She Yueeh was playing with the dominoes by her side. Pao-yue had been ever aware of the intimacy which existed between She Yueeh and Hsi Jen， so that paying not the slightest notice to even She Yueeh， he raised the soft portiere and straightway walked all alone into the inner apartment. She Yueeh felt constrained to follow him in， but Pao-yue at once pushed her out， saying： "I don't venture to disturb you two；" so that She Yueeh had no alternative but to leave the room with a smiling countenance， and to bid two young waiting-maids go in. Pao-yue took hold of a book and read for a considerable time in a reclining position； but upon raising his head to ask for some tea， he caught sight of a couple of waiting-maids， standing below； the one of whom， slightly older than the other， was exceedingly winsome.

"What's your name？" Pao-yue eagerly inquired.

"I'm called Hui Hsiang， （orchid fragrance），" that waiting-maid rejoined simperingly.

"Who gave you this name？" Pao-yue went on to ask.

"I went originally under the name of Yuen Hsiang （Gum Sandarac），" added Hui Hsiang， "but Miss Hua it was who changed it."

"You should really be called Hui Ch'i， （latent fragrance）， that would be proper； and why such stuff as Hui Hsiang， （orchid fragrance）？"

"How many sisters have you got？" he further went on to ask of her.

"Four，" replied Hui Hsiang.

"Which of them are you？" Pao-yue asked.

"the fourth，" answered Hui Hsiang.

"By and by you must be called Ssu Erh， （fourth child），" Pao-yue suggested， "for there's no need for any such nonsense as Hui Hsiang （orchid fragrance） or Lan Ch'i （epidendrum perfume.） Which single girl deserves to be compared to all these flowers， without profaning pretty names and fine surnames！"

As he uttered these words， he bade her give him some tea， which he drank； while Hsi Jen and She Yueeh， who were in the outer apartment， had been listening for a long time and laughing with compressed lips.

Pao-yue did not， on this day， so much as put his foot outside the door of his room， but sat all alone sad and dejected， simply taking up his books， in order to dispel his melancholy fit， or diverting himself with his writing materials； while he did not even avail himself of the services of any of the family servants， but simply bade Ssu Erh answer his calls.